Field Days - The Hit of Springtime
On the last two days before the Spring Holiday, our students enjoyed Field Day, which many Sharks consider to be the highlight of the school year!
Wednesday, April 5 was a foggy morning with dense clouds overhead. However it was warm enough for t-shirts and shorts.
Students in grades 1 through 6 started the day with a brief assembly at the Yellow Circle, with music from the band and drumline.
Former Division 1 football coach and bestselling author Mr. Sid McNairy gave a motivational speech about "all things are possible" that concluded with the students chanting "I win, YOU WIN!" to get them into the mood for some fun competition.
After the inspirational and encouraging words, Field Day kicked off at full speed!
Preparations for Field Day are credited to our phenomenal Physical Education department. For several weeks, our intrepid PE specialists put together team assignments, planned activities, rented equipment, and procured supplies.
The night before, our PE staff stayed until after 9:00 p.m. to get everything set up on the field. (They couldn't actually get on the field until after the pre-planned soccer games were finished and the field cleared.)
"Field Day feels like the culminating event of PE. As we head into swim at the end of April, we celebrate all the new skills and character traits we have focused on throughout the year in PE," said PE Specialist Doug Postell. "It's a time to get our whole school together and enjoy a few days of competition and excitement as we finish out the school year."
By mid-morning, the fog had cleared and the clouds began to dissipate. The temperature rose to the low 80s, but that didn't hold anyone back. If anything, the sun encouraged more strenuous activity!
"I think it's really good to get energized a lot," said third grader Zoe M. "I think it's important to learn how others work with energy; to see what pace they're at."
Water stations were positioned throughout the field to make sure all participants stayed well hydrated during the day.
"My favorite event was the bouncy house because it was fun and we got to race," said Yusuf I. from third grade. "And I got to see one of my teachers do it!"
Other popular activities included the donut toss, skee ball, plus several events that involved water squirters, wet sponges, or just buckets of water. Getting wet seemed to be the objective for many students, as they sloppily handled those water-saturated sponges. Those who got absolutely soaked wore it as a badge of honor!
The event flowed more smoothly with the help of the parent volunteers who stepped up and put in some hours. Most volunteers covered one event for most of the day, but didn't get bored as a different group of students rotated through every fifteen minutes.
"The parent volunteers play a vital role during Field Day," said PE Specialist Kamryn St. Thomas. "We could not have nearly as many stations running so smoothly without all of our volunteers. The parents add so much joy and support to the students, faculty and staff throughout the two days of Field Day, not to mention the brainstorming and assistance from the PA Field Day chairs.
Wednesday's activities concluded in a classic tug-of-war. Each grade was divided up into blue teams and white teams to encourage some friendly competition.
"We go through and learn we don't always win," stated Yusuf. "It's about having fun!"
It was clear that even the non-winners of the events were enjoying themselves. And the winners were, after all, some of their best friends.
"Our students displayed great teamwork and sportsmanship on Field Day," said PE Specialist Leif Noren. "It’s great to see our students encourage each other with friendly competition. It was a fun action packed day for our students to get some energy out and compete with each other."
Thursday, April 6 was a half-day, and so the Early Learning students came out for their Field Day. Some of the games were scaled down a bit, and the really small kids needed a little adult help climbing the hill in the bounce house.
In addition to the leadership of the PE specialists, several more parents volunteered as well as some 6th grade students, who took great pride in assisting their younger friends.
Watch the video Field Day 2023 Grades 1-6 on our YouTube channel.
Watch the video Field Day 2023 Grades 1-6 on our YouTube channel.
Jacksonville Country Day School
Located in Jacksonville, FL, Jacksonville Country Day School is a private school for Pre-K 3 through 6th grade. JCDS prepares students for a healthy and productive lifetime of intellectual exploration, character development, and social responsibility.
© 2023 Jacksonville Country Day School. All Rights Reserved.